Doctoral Dissertations

Phebe X. Gray

Date of Award

5-1997

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Patricia Davis-Wiley

Committee Members

Rakesh Bhatt, George Harris Jr., John Ray

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify and examine current trends and issues in the practicum course in selected TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teacher preparation programs in the Southeastern United States.

A modified survey questionnaire originated by Richards and Crookes (1987) were sent to 28 TESOL teacher preparation program directors and supervisors in the Southeastern U.S., with an 82% return rate. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were utilized for data analysis. The author created a profile of the practicum course. More specifically, the following research questions were answered: (a) what are the major objectives of the TESOL practicum course? (b) what is the content of the practicum course? (c)what are the patterns of supervision in the practicum course? (d) what are the strengths and weaknesses in current practicum courses? (e) according to directors/supervisors' opinions, what are the characteristics of an effective practicum course in the TESOL teacher preparation program? Furthermore, the researcher described the general background of the TESOL teacher preparation programs where the practicum took place.

The findings of the study concluded that the practicum course was considered an important element in the TESOL teacher preparation programs. However, the arrangement, or the logistics of the practicum were different in individual programs. The major objectives of the practicum served to provide the interns practical experience in classroom teaching and to give them an opportunity to apply theory to practice, and the content of the practicum included various components, with the most frequently selected one being supervised classroom teaching. Furthermore, though all of the practicum courses had a supervision component, the area of supervision was seen as an area of both strength and weakness of the practicum. In addition, the logistics of the practicum was also viewed as both a strength and weakness by different TESOL teacher preparation program directors/supervisors.

The fact that the practicum course was a required course in almost all of the TESOL teacher education programs surveyed indicated that the Guidelines for TESOL Teacher Preparation Programs in the U.S. was followed by most of the programs in the pedagogical aspect. The study also indicated that the practicum surveyed resembled the internship experience in general teacher education programs in the areas of content, objective, and supervision procedures.

The researcher called for a closer examination on the issue of supervision in the practicum course. Educational implications and recommendations were made as well.

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